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Sat Jun 29th 2024

1* Saturday Half-Day Awayday Ride from Uffington	1*

Leader: Steve Swanton	Start Time: 2:00 pm	Start Location: Thomas Hughes Memorial Hall, Uffington, SN7 7RE
Description: Rescheduled from the 15th June, our regular social and family ride (usually on the third Saturday of the month), with a cafe stop. We cover 16-32km (10-20 miles) at a leisurely pace of 13-16km/h (8-10mph), tackling the occasional hill (nothing too long) and easy off-road track (conditions permitting). For a change of scenery, an awayday ride around the western reaches of the vale starting from Uffington, with a refreshment stop at the Baking Bee cafe in Ashbury. There is ample parking by the village hall in Uffington. We'll cycle out through Longcot, Shrivenham and Bourton before a short climb to the foot of downs road at Bishopstone. We'll stop briefly there to admire the pond before continuing through Idstone into Ashbury. For those who fancy some extra exploring, there will be a 1-mile optional (hilly) loop around Ashbury and the little-visited neighbouring hamlet of Kingston Winslow before tea. We'll return to Uffington via Knighton, dropping back into the Vale on a lovely quiet lane. As we rejoin the Longcot-Uffington road we'll have superb views across to White Horse hill. A round trip of 17 miles with a few ups and downs but all taken at a gentle 10mph. Expect to be back in Uffington before 5pm. Please let me know if you are planning to come so that I can guide the cafe re numbers. For those who fancy a longer ride there is also the opportunity to cycle over to the start and back afterwards. I plan to cycle over. It's 8-9 miles from Grove via Goosey and Baulking and similar from Wantage via Childrey and Kingston Lisle.
Riders: Anke Otto Anna Loughlin Barry Stanton David Bridge Des Higgs Diana Whidborne Julie Haynes Karl Blake Lorna Swanton Louise Bowers Steve Swanton Riders = 11 Weather: Report: A beautiful, warm and sunny afternoon for a ride and lovely to visit the far reaches of the vale, which was new territory for several riders. With 11 riders we split into 2 groups. But there was a slight hiccup shortly after the start when the second group took the road to Fernham rather than following us to Longcot. Group 1 stopped briefly by the former Uffington wharf buildings on the line of the old Wiltshire and Berkshire canal. When it was evident that group 2 wasn't following, we continued to Longcot - where they soon joined us. After that all went smoothly. We enjoyed a shady stop in Shrivenham before continuing on to picturesque Bourton, then crossed briefly into Wiltshire with fine views towards the Downs as we approached Bishopstone. We had a short rest there by the pond before continuing on to our refreshment stop at Ashbury. The coffee, tea and cakes at the Baking Bee cafe were excellent. It is nice to find a cafe that stays open that bit later (currently until 6pm) on a Saturday afternoon. From Ashbury we continued along the foot of the Downs road. Everyone took the short but steeper climb above Kingston Winslow with aplomb and we were soon coasting along enjoying the clear views across the vale. Then there came the lovely descent of Knighton Hill and long run out through the fields before we turned eastwards again just before the railway. We stopped briefly to enjoy what I consider the finest view of White Horse hill from the Vale. Des and Karl turned off to Longcot at this point while the rest of us made our way back to Uffington, arriving at a very busy village hall car park at 4:45pm. After a further rest, Lorna, Julie, Anke, David and I cycled back gently to Grove. Thanks all for your company on a lovely afternoon. Thanks to David for leading the second group and Karl and Des for sweeping. Thank to Anke too for the first photo.
Distance: 27.36 km (17.00 mi)	Ride Details: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/196745911
Where are you?.... Sat 1* June24 Resting by the pond in Bishopstone - Sat 1* Jun24 Lovely tea and cakes at the Baking Bee cafe, Ashbury Enjoying our tea stop at Baking Bee, Ashbury - Sat 1* Jun24
Proposed Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/47250911"
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Start Locations: WMP
Wantage Market Place; OMH
Old Mill Hall, Grove

Categories: 1* - Suitable for irregular, social, beginner or family riders, pace will match the slower riders. Not hilly or long. Expect rides up to 3 hours. Gentle exercise.; 2* - Suitable for regular riders who prefer to cover some distance but at a more relaxed pace. Likely to be half-day rides. Solid exercise.; 3* - Suitable for experienced riders, may be hilly, long, quick, or any combination! Likely to be half or full-day rides. Challenging exercise.; 4* - Suitable for athletic riders who can ride safely above the 3* standard. Quick rides for the fit.; More Information